Symptoms of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Description of OCD
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a classified by doctors as an anxiety disorder that includes upsetting, intrusive thoughts that won't go away (obsessions), and compulsions (repeated tasks or "rituals") to fight off the obsessions.
Most people with OCD realize that the obsessions or compulsions are unreasonable or excessive. The obsessions or compulsions are time-consuming (taking up more than one hour per day), cause distress, or cause difficulty in social, work, or school. Having OCD is stressful and can lead to feelings of depression or family conflict.
OCD has Many Faces
Because there are so many different things people may worry about, OCD has many different faces. Below is a description of the most common types of things that people with OCD worry about. People with OCD may have several of the concerns listed below or just one.
- The most common problem experienced by people with OCD is excessive doubt leading to repeated checking. Doubt may also lead to demands for excessive reassurance from family or friends.
- A quarter have contamination concerns, leading to repeated washing, cleaning, and avoiding items felt to be dirty.
- Most OCD patients save or collect too many items, and these hoarded items can cause a shortage of living space. People with OCD may not be able to decide what to throw away or may worry that items will be needed later. Such people are sometimes called "pack-rats."
- Over half are concerned about symmetry and order. These individuals may spend a lot of time arranging things until they are "just right."
- Many worry excessively about right and wrong, a condition called scrupulosity.
- Almost a third have sexual obsessions or worry about religious issues. This includes people with worries about being gay, committing a sin, or violating a religious procedure.
- The next most common concern is about harming others or self accidentally or on purpose.
- A few worry that they have contracted a dreadful illness, like cancer or AIDS.
- Some people with OCD are hyperfocused on their bodily signs, movements, or appearance. Others may count things or have to do things a certain number of times.
- Almost one in five have other concerns not described here.
Source: Ruscio, A. M., Stein, D. J., Chiu, W. T., & Kessler, R. C. (2008). The epidemiology of obsessive-compulsive disorder in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Molecular Psychiatry.
OCD or Perfectionism?
The phrase "obsessive-compulsive" has worked its way into the wider English language, and is often used in an off-hand manner to describe someone who is meticulous or absorbed in a cause. It is important to distinguish OCD from other types of anxiety, including the routine tension and stress that appear throughout life. Although these signs are often present in OCD, a person who shows signs of infatuation or fixation with a subject/object, or displays traits such as perfectionism, does not necessarily have OCD.
For example, wanting to keep your things clean and organized does not mean you have OCD unless: you spend too much time doing it, keep arranging things over and over because they are not just right, and/or you feel very upset if things are even slightly out of place.
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Prevalence: How Many Have OCD?
Community studies have estimated a lifetime prevalence of 2.5% and a 1-year prevalence of 0.5%-2.1% in adults. Research shows that prevalence rates of obsessive-compulsive disorder are similar in many different cultures around the world.
Onset: When Do People Get OCD?
It is typically beleived that OCD begins in adolescence or early adulthood, but the average age of onset in African-Americans tends to be somewhat later (on average, age 31). Most people with OCD have a chronic waxing and waning course, with worsening of symptoms that may be related to stress. It is not uncommon for OCD to emerge after a traumatic experience, such as a rape or assault.
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